The moment I dropped into my seat, Brett did something he'd never done before.
He pinged me on the work chat about something personal, for the very first time.
Brett: Lily, that ring was meant for you. But Chloe said, with her family situation, she'd probably never find anyone to marry her… so I let her borrow it, just for a while.
Brett: Don't worry. As soon as she's done with it, I'll get it back and give it to you.
Brett: And about your commission, I'll make it up to you on the next project, I swear.
I clicked the chat window shut, completely uninterested. I'd just wolfed down my breakfast, and I had absolutely zero appetite for his empty promises.
The next second, my phone pinged twice.
Not only had the offer from Vanguard Holdings landed, but a call from the corporate ethics and compliance board had come through too.
"Verified: the commission was clawed back from the wrong account. Your payout has just been issued."
Before the screen even dimmed, Chloe's blood-curdling scream ripped through the entire office.